This invention relates to an improved lipid encapsulated feed supplement and the process for producing same. Furthermore, this invention relates to fertilizer compositions. In one aspect, this invention relates to a novel feed supplement for ruminant animals comprising nutrient lipid microencapsulated in albumin containing proteinaceous material which, when ingested by a ruminant, protects the nutrients from degradation in the rumen of the animal but allows the nutrients to be assimilated within the abomasum and lower gut to thereby allow for a manipulation of the site and form of the nutrients and also render possible the effective feeding of increased amounts of lipid to the ruminant without effecting a gastric upset.
In a specific aspect, this invention relates to the utilization of animal blood as the source of albumin and nutrient lipid compositions to form food supplements for animals. In another aspect, the invention relates to eliminating the odors associated with the conventional drying of animal blood. In another aspect, the invention relates to eliminating the necessity for the conventional rendering of fat in order to make the fat suitable for use as a feed ingredient common to the feed industry.
Animal blood obtained in a typical slaughter house operation is either dried to form blood meal or is expelled as effluent. More specifically, liquid blood obtained as a by-product in slaughter house operations is a low value material and is often dumped by some smaller meat packers because they have no use or no sale for the material. Larger meat packing facilities have dryers and dry the blood to form a meal which is sold mainly as a fertilizer or animal feedstuff. In general, the blood meal is processed into a dry form on or near the slaughter house premises. Typically, blood is collected in holding vessels and periodically, when a sufficient quantity is collected, it is subjected to one of several possible heating processes which in effect dries the volatile constituents therefrom and thus the blood solids are recovered. This is conventionally accomplished in a batch type blood cooker, a ring dryer or a spray drying operation. These various drying processes utilize relatively large quantities of energy and produces obnoxious odors which are released into the atmosphere and surrounding environment. In addition, refrigeration of the blood may be required in the case of some spray drying operations. Substantial quantities of the nutrients in the blood can be lost through bio-degradation which may occur during typical storage and transit conditions. Substantial degradation of the nutrient value of blood solids is typical when the blood is exposed to the high temperatures associated with blood cooker operations. A more efficient process for utilization of blood, fat and collagen obtained from slaughter house operations is needed, i.e., a method of processing blood, fat and collagen into a usable and thus saleable commodity is needed which can be carried out without an undue expenditure of energy and without polluting the environment with obnoxious odors or effluents.
Furthermore, it is desirable to develop nutrient feedstuffs for animals which contain effective nutritional amounts of nutrient lipids. Earlier researchers have found that it is extremely difficult to feed large quantities of lipid to ruminant animals, i.e., quantities of lipids greater than 4 to 6%. Specifically, the ruminant animal has a multigastric system with a first stomach known as a rumen wherein bacteria generally known as microflora are present. These microflora have the ability to breakdown protein and lipids, among other things, and hydrogenate unsaturated lipids. Therefore, a significant portion of the unsaturated lipids contained in typical ruminant feeds are hydrogenated in the rumen by the microflora and are subsequently assimilated by the animal as saturated fat. Additionally, the rumen has a low tolerance to feeds containing high concentrations (4 to 6%) of either saturated or unsaturated lipids. This low tolerance produces severe gastric upset when feeds containing high concentration of unprotected lipids are ingested. For example, when large quantities of dietary lipids are fed to ruminants over and above 4 to 6% the ruminants consumption of total feed intake is typically reduced bringing about a dietary situation wherein there is not enough caloric intake to provide for effective net energy production and in some cases no energy maintenance of the animal. In addition, digestive disturbances occur because of the lipid floating on the liquid in the rumen, and the ruminant will drastically reduce its consumption until it has digested the lipid in the rumen. Furthermore, when such lipids are unsaturated, the rumen microflora will hydrogenate most of the same and little of the unsaturated lipid will become incorporated into the ruminant's meat or milk.
Recently, a process has been developed which encapsulates nutrient lipids in a protective protein-aldehyde complex coating. This process is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,925,560 issued Dec. 9, 1975. The protein-aldehyde coating covering the lipid is not susceptible to breakdown in the rumen but is susceptible to breakdown in the abomasum and lower gut. This process includes finely dividing a lipid material into discrete particles or globules and forming an aqueous emulsion of the finely divided lipid and a proteinaceous material. The aqueous emulsion can then be reacted with an aldehyde such that the finely divided lipid particles are encapsulated in a proteinaldehyde complex. The emulsion is treated with aldehyde and dried to form a coated particulate solid. Thus, this encapsulation process requires an aldehyde reactant to react with the proteinaceous material to form the rumen resistant coating over the lipid material.
An effective method of accomplishing the microencapsulating of dietary lipid materials in a dietary proteinaceous material without resorting to the use of exogenous chemicals is desirable.